Sifting-shovel.



J. MLLER. SIFTING SHOVEL. APPLIoATIoN FILED 1120.13, 1909.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. MULLER.

SIFTING SHOVBL.

APPLIOATION FILED DB0. 1s, 1909.

@71,29%` Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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THE Narmls Perses m1 wnxsHrNcraN, D. c.

JOSEPHINE MLLER, 0F EAST SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SIFTING-SHOi/"EL Specification of Letters Patent.

Application Ied December 13, 1909.

Patented Sept. 27, 1910.

Serial No. 532,924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that lt, JosnrHiNn MoLLnn, a subject of the King of Norway,residing at East Somerville, in the county of Middlesex, State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements inSifting-Shovels; and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

rlhis invention relates to shovels, and more especially what ispreferably termed a sifting shovel.

rThe principal object of the invention is to provide an improved form ofshovel which may be used for sifting ashes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shovel of the characterdescribed with a cover adapted to be folded back so that the shovel maybe used as an ordinary coal shovel.

The invention further consists of certain novel details of arrangementand eombinations of parts hereinafter fully described7 illustrated inthe accoinpanying` drawings, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate likeparts in the several views, and z-Figure 1 is a perspective view of ashovel constructed in accorciance with this invention, the cover beingshown closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the cover shown as open.Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the bottom of the shovel. Fig. 4 isa detail section taken longitudinally of the shovel in the central planeand at the forward end thereof. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4showing the cover in open position.

rlhe numeral 10 indicates the bottoni of the shovel which is providedwith a central aperture 11 wherein is held a wire cloth 12 to form thesifter. rlhe shovel bottom is provided wit-h upturned edges 18preferably arranged at right angles to said bottom and having theforward edges thereof curved as shown at 14.

Rigidly secured to the back of the shovel is a cover plate 15 to theforward edge of which is hinged a plate 16 having a plate 17 similarlyhinged to its forward edge. The free end of the plate 17 is bent to litover the curved portions of the sides as at 14 and centrally hinged onthe edge of this plate is a spring catch 18 adapted to fit into adepression 19 formed by stamping the metal of the bottoni 10 at a pointadjacent its forward edge. The plate 17 is preferably forined of aresilient metal so that the catch may properly engage the depression 19.ln order to hold the cover open the plates are so proportioned as tolength that the catch 1S engages beneath the forward edge of the plate15 when the plate 1G is folded back on that plate and the plate 17folded forward ou the plate 1G, The catch 18 is provided with a beadedend 20 which engages over the hinge between the plates 15 and 16, asshown in Fig. 5.

The shovel is further provided with the usual handle 21 having anopening 22 therein to afford means to suspend the shovel from a nail orthe like.

In using this device, the ashes and cinders are picked up in the shoveland the cover brought forward so that the catch 1S engages thedepression 19. The shovel is then moved to and fro like an ordinary ashsifter and the ashes sifted, the cinders remaining in the shovel. lt isto be noted that this can be done with the shovel in the stove so thatit is not necessary to carry away any of the mixed ashes and cinders butthe saine may be separated at the stove, the cinders returned to thefire and the ashes alone removed.

lt is further to be noted that by means of the arrangement of the coverwith two parts or leaves the same can be held positively open so that itwill not fall forward while using the shovel as a coal shovel.

lt is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form andconstruction of the invention without departing from the materialprinciples thereof. lt is not therefore desired to confine the inventionto the exact form herein shown but it is wished to include all such asproperly come within its scope.

Having thus described the invention, what l claim as new, is

1. ln a device of the kind described, a shovel, a cover leaf hingedthereto, a second cover leaf hinged to the free edge of the firstmentioned cover leaf, and a single catch to hold said cover leaves inopen or closed positions.

2. In a device of the kind described, a shovel, a cover leaf hingedthereto, a second eovei leaf liinged to the free edge of the iiist lntestimony whereof, I atix my signod mentioned cover leaf, a oatoli onthe free ture, in piesenee of two Witnesses.

edge of the last mentioned @over leaf adapti ed to engage tlie foi-Wardedge of tlie shovel JOSEPHNE MLLER' to hold tlie saine in Closedposition, and a Vitnesses:

hinge of tlie iist mentioned cover leaf to CATHERINE QUIGLEY,

hold the Cover in open position. JOHN H. FOLLETT.

